An embodiment of a heating system includes a cavity configured to contain a load, a thermal heating system (e.g., a convection, radiant, and/or gas heating system) in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to heat air, and an RF heating system. The RF heating system includes an RF signal source configured to generate an RF signal, first and second electrodes positioned across the cavity and capacitively coupled, a transmission path electrically coupled between the RF signal source and one or more of the first and second electrodes, and a variable impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the RF signal source and the one or more electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes receives the RF signal and converts the RF signal into electromagnetic energy that is radiated into the cavity.

A cooking apparatus according to one embodiment includes a cooking chamber including a plurality of cooking regions, a plurality of heaters configured to heat at least one cooking region among the plurality of cooking regions, an inputter configured to receive a command related to cooking from a user, a display, and a controller configured to control the plurality of heaters and the display, wherein, while cooking is being performed in some cooking regions among the plurality of cooking regions, the controller may control the display to display other cooking regions in which additional cooking is performable.

In a solid-state heating system, once a load with specific load characteristics has been placed in a heating cavity, a processing unit produces control signals that indicate an excitation signal frequency and one or more phase shifts, which constitute a combination of parameter values. Multiple microwave generation modules produce RF excitation signals characterized by the frequency and the phase shift(s). Multiple microwave energy radiators radiate, into the heating cavity, electromagnetic energy corresponding to RF excitation signals received from the microwave generation modules. Power detection circuitry takes reflected RF power measurements, and the processing unit determines a reflected power indication based on the measurements. The process is repeated for different combinations of the parameter values, and an acceptable combination of parameter values is determined and stored in a memory of the heating system. Acceptable combinations of parameter values similarly may be determined and stored for other loads with different load characteristics.

A microwave treatment device includes a plurality of radiation parts, a transmission line, and a plurality of feeding parts. The plurality of radiation parts includes first, second, and third radiation parts, and radiates a microwave. The transmission line has a loop line structure provided with a plurality of branch parts including first, second, and third branch parts, and transmits the microwave to the first, second, and third radiation parts respectively connected to the first, second, and third branch parts. The plurality of feeding parts includes the first feeding part and the second feeding part arranged in the transmission line at an interval of ¼ or less of the wavelength of the microwave, and transmits the microwave to the transmission line. According to this aspect, a radiation part that radiates the microwave can be selectively switched. This enables the intended heating distribution to be achieved.

A high frequency heating apparatus of the present disclosure includes a first electrode (11), a second electrode (12), a high frequency power supply, a position adjuster (20), and a controller. The second electrode (12) is disposed facing the first electrode (11). The high frequency power supply supplies high frequency power to the first electrode (11) or the second electrode (12). The position adjuster (20) adjusts the position of the first electrode (11). The controller controls the position adjuster (20). The position adjuster (20) includes a weight (21), one or more connecting lines (22), one or more pulleys (23), and one or more drive units (24). The one or more connecting lines (22) connect the weight (21) and the first electrode (11). The one or more pulleys (23) support the one or more connecting lines (22). The one or more drive units (24) are attached to the one or more pulleys (23) and drive the one or more pulleys (23). In this embodiment, a heating target can be heated efficiently.

A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, one or more electrodes proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode(s), and an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the output of the RF signal source and the electrode(s). The system also includes measurement circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured to measure one or more parameters that include voltage, current, forward signal power, reflected signal power, and S11 along the transmission path. A system controller is configured to monitor the measurements, and to modify operation of the system when a rate of change of any of the monitored parameter(s) exceeds a predetermined threshold. The impedance matching network may be a single-ended network or a double-ended network.

A microwave heating apparatus and methods of controlling cooling of a microwave heating apparatus are provided. The microwave heating apparatus typically includes a microwave source for generating microwaves, a cooling unit for cooling the microwave source and a control unit. According to one embodiment, the control unit is configured to receive operational data from a measuring device indicative of the measured power of microwaves transmitted from the magnetron and receive operational data from the measuring device indicative of the measured anode current of the magnetron. A calculating device calculates an efficiency of the magnetron as a function of the measured power of the transmitted microwaves and the measured anode current, to define a determined efficiency. The control unit controls the cooling unit and cools the magnetron based on the determined efficiency.

A method for controlling an electromagnetic heating device includes: obtaining a sampling current obtained by a current sampling apparatus detecting a main loop in which an electromagnetic oscillation and power output circuit of an electromagnetic heating device is located; detecting, according to the sampling current and preset determining data, whether the electromagnetic heating device accommodates a medium; and controlling, if the electromagnetic heating device does not accommodate a medium, the electromagnetic oscillation and power output circuit to stop electromagnetic oscillation.

A combination microwave and refrigerator system is provided. The microwave oven is connected to a source of power and has at least one control circuit for controlling the operation of the microwave oven. A first power supply outlet is provided on the microwave oven. A refrigerator is connected to the source of power by connection to the first power supply outlet. The control circuit is configured to disable the cooling operation of the refrigerator, when the microwave oven demands cooking power, and enable the cooling operation of the refrigerator when the microwave oven is not drawing cooking power. A safety sensor is provided in the microwave oven, and is configured to cause cooking power to the microwave oven to be turned off upon the safety sensor sensing smoke or other conditions.

Systems and methods include a cooking appliance comprising a heating element disposed within a cooking chamber and operable to selectively emit waves at any of a plurality of powers and/or peak wavelengths, a camera operable to capture an image of the cooking chamber, and a computing device operable to supply power to the heating element to vary the power and/or peak wavelength of the emitted waves and generate heat within the cooking chamber, and instruct the camera to capture the image when the heating element is emitting at a stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device is operable to generate an adjusted captured image by adjusting the captured image with respect to the stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device comprises feedback components operable to receive the adjusted captured image, extract features, and analyze the one or more features to determine an event, property, measurement and/or status.